Sen. Krist wins at Supreme Court, can run as Democrat for governor (AUDIO)

The Supreme Court has rejected a claim he violated state election law.

The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld the ruling of Secretary of State John Gale that Senator Bob Krist qualifies for the Democratic primary ballot, rejecting a claim that he failed to meet a deadline to switch party affiliation.

Krist, once a Republican, had contemplated running as an independent before declaring as a Democrat.

He says the lawsuit had an impact on his campaign.

“Obviously, it has affected my ability to fund-raise, because some folks did actually think that it might go the opposite way,” Krist tells Nebraska Radio Network. “Just in the last 24 hours that’s all turned around. So, that’s a good feeling.”

Tyler Davis, also on the Democratic primary ballot, claimed Krist failed to change his party affiliation in time. Secretary of State Gale ruled Krist remained a non-partisan until he declared as a Democrat on February 12th. Davis had claimed Krist had chosen a political party, forming the United Nebraska Party after contemplating, then rejecting a run as an independent.

Gale noted in his ruling that United Nebraska was never recognized as a political party in Nebraska and, thus, Krist never changed political parties.

Krist, a former Air Force pilot, was appointed a state senator in 2009 by former Gov. Dave Heineman, a Republican. Krist won election to the officially non-partisan Unicameral in 2010. Krist was re-elected in 2014. He was registered as a Republican until last year, when he registered officially as non-partisan.

Krist says he now can concentrate on the campaign and the issues.

Davis is an instructor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Vanessa Ward, a pastor and north Omaha activist, has also filed as a Democratic candidate for governor.